THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 511, 23 October 1912, Page 4

THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT.

♦ - EXTRA FACILITIES NEEDED. POSITION OF KING COUNTRY. For some considerable time the question of hospital facilities in the district has boon prominently before the public. At Taumarunui, To Kuiti, Kawhia and other places the matter has been discussed, and various opinions have been offered us to tho best method to be adopted in securing much needed additional facilities for the district in general. Mr J. Boddie, who represents several King Country local bodies on the Waikato Hospital Board, attended Monday evening's meeting of tho ■ Waitomo County Council for tho pur- \ pose of placing tho matter before tho ( * members with a view to geting an ex-' pression of opinion concerning the council's attitude on the subject. Mr Hoddie, in explaining the reason of his attendance, said a committee had been set up by the Hospital board with tho object of visiting the ous localities and Catherine; tion as to the best, course to adopt. Mr G. Kay and himself had been appointed to collect information in this district, and next week intended visiting Taumarunui and Raurimu. Before doing so lie took the opportunity of waiting en the council and placing the matter before tho members.

The mutter was largely one of finance. Some timu ago Pio Pio resi- - dents applied for and received assistance in respect to a scheme for that centre. Kavvhia residents were fighting for facilities; Owhango and other centres wanted nurses, while Tauinnrunui was clamouring for facilities and the enlargement of their hospital. Evidently Taumarunui wished to have a separate hospital district with the base hospital at that centre. In considering any such proposition it would be wise to go into the matter carefully with an eye to the requirements of each district; interested. In the first place Kawhia would havo nothing to do with any proposal to establish a King Country hospital district. That left the counties of Waitomo, Ohura, Kailieke, West Taupo and portion of Awakino, with the boroughs of To Kuiti and Taumarunui. The total contribution from theso sources was Xins:2 under (he present rating. Waitonvi County, Te Kuiti Borough and Awr.lcfbo County could not be served by a hospital at Taumarunui. Kroin the district which a hospital at Taumarunui would serve the revenue under present rating would be £,-1",2. It would be interesting to compare this with the cost of running the three smallest hospital districts in the Dominion. In the Stratford district the total expenditure for twelve months was .1^2721 of which ,£1077 was received from the Government and .£lO2ll from contributing local bodies. Other sources of revenue accounted for the remainder of the total income which was JuIJOOO. Patea hospital of IS beds accommodated 102 patients during the year. Its total income was .£l7lO of which local bodies contributed ,-SMSL!. Picton hospital which treated li)l patients, received a local income of ,£2OOO. These amounts merely covered running expenses. The amount to be provided for capital expenditure in establishing a hospital was large, and had to be seriously considered. Moreover Stratford had to pay over ,£.'i()o for outside patients who had been treated at other hospitals. That feature would probably be intensified hero if a new district, was set up. as (he people here would be close to Hamilton,which was one of the best hospitals in the Dominion. Personally, while realising fully that further facilities were required in this district he considered it would be a calamity to bo cut off from Waikato. lie intended to place the matter before the Ohura Council,

ami ho would like to have an expression of the feeling of Uio Wait.omo Council on the subject.. The committee which had been sot up to ileal with the matter by the hoard was to moot on November 14th, and ho would suggest any resolution passed by the council should bo forwarded for tho consideration of that committee.

The chairman said he could see trouble ahead if a new district was established. Jfc would require about three districts to servo the King Country properly. At tho same time more facilities were required locally, and they must bo provided. Tbov were prepared to pay for them. While on the subject he would like to make one point clear. This council had goi\ the credit of starting tho agitation n'ojjjjr a separate district. That waft' not correct. No such suggestion had been made. Mr Boddie: am I quite aware of that. Cr O'Dwyer: Where would the headquarters be if a new district was established. Mr Boddie: Nobody could say. That: would be a matter for the consideration of all the districts affected. Cr O'Dwyer advocated the establishing of cottage hospitals throughout the district. After a desultory discussion, Mr Boddie withdrew, the chairman intimating that the council would deal with the suggestion as soon as possible.